Azur Lane Adjusts Iron Blood Faction Icons for Censorship; Players Criticize 'Cover-up' Attempts

Recently, eagle-eyed players discovered that Azur Lane quietly updated icons for the 'Iron Blood' (Tie Xue) faction. The goal was to reduce visual associations with symbols from WWII-era Germany. This was labeled a 'slow update' by the community, as it follows earlier name changes intended to distance the game from controversial historical aesthetics.

As seen in the comparison images, not only were the distinct faction logos altered, but character apparel—such as skirt colors—also underwent adjustments. Many players find this 'too little, too late' approach to be clumsy and ineffective.

Community reaction has been overwhelmingly sarcastic. Players called the move 'hiding the truth by drawing attention to it' (yu gai mi zhang), criticizing the lack of design consistency. Others joked about how the 'red, white, and black' color scheme remains inherently sensitive regardless of the icon redesign, with some facetiously suggesting they should just use the Volkswagen logo instead.